chicago ♔ bury me deep just to cover my sins

[romanticidal]

♬ Ave Maria - Warshaw Philharmonic Orchestra

WHO || Buffy, Spike, Finnick, Myri, Dawn, Archer, Elena, Kat, Gar, Mark, Burt, Des, Rafael, Violet, Francesca, Luthir, and more~ [closed]
WHAT || Jade's burial.
WHERE || A cemetery, Chicago, IL
WHEN || July 8, 2013 [backdated]
HOW || Actionspam

[ As the processional exits the church following after the casket, the Knights and co. might be surprised that a rather large crowd has gathered out here, apparently holding some kind of intense candlelight vigil in jade's honor, now that twilight is beginning to fall. Those who take a gander over at Burt might almost see the halo of innocence over his head as he avoids eye contact doo doo doo.

Either way, the cameras don't follow for this part, and so everyone just gets to participate in the slow walk past crying eyes of strangers who didn't even know Jade or Rafael or any of them, towards the nearby cemetery, where they position around the still open at the top casket as its placed next to the grave that will house her.

The priest begins to intone in elvish once more: final funeral rites, the long farewell bid to their kind, and the promise of reunion in the lands of light. ]

Comments

[narcosynthesis]

[ keijen just takes a step forward, somehow both ridiculously casual and projecting a very challenging demeanor directly underneath it simultaneously. ] Did you think you were the only one she cared about? Who cared about her?

[ he stops just a couple feet from rafael, and says with relish: ] Blood is thicker than pasta, wop. [ he gestures back with his head towards nadia ] Jade's sister wished to attend her burial.

[watcherjunior]

[ When Buffy first touches her, she jumps slightly, her head lifting as her shoulders jerk back. It's not a sign of get off me, but simply surprise. Dawn's used to being alone (somewhat) since she came through the Veil, and she certainly isn't expecting someone to try to comfort her here.

After a moment, her body relaxes and she leans into Buffy like it's the most natural thing in the world. It just feels right somehow. ]

Thank you.

[ Her words are a bit muffled as she drags the back of her hand across her mouth, trying to get herself back under control and stop crying. It helps that there's something else to focus on once the priest stops talking.

Of the three that approach, she only recognizes one immediately as someone she met at her squiring party. She hears Violet startle and curse (listen 20), which only piques her curiosity further. Something is happening here, something potentially bad. ] Do you think we could maybe not? Especially here and now.

[ Seriously. Graveyard and all that. ]

[witchwoman]

[As Myri approaches, she keeps hold of Finnick's hand because this part will be more difficult to shield herself from. This will be everyone's final goodbye. But as she nears the group, it's clear that the tone has changed. She glances over the three new faces, stopping at Nadia and letting her jaw drop just slightly. Keijen's reveal isn't lost on her either and Myri isn't sure what to think of it.]

Jade's sister? But- [This was the horse she had been betting on since their meeting backstage. She isn't sure how this changes things. Her attention remains focused entirely on the girl, as if trying to untangle the mystery through a concerned as confused stare alone.]

[65]

[omg y'all leave burt alone ok. LET IT GO. actually everyone let it go because YOU ARE AT A FUNERAL. but expressing that is too exhausting right now, so he just stays silent through everything until keijen and friends show up, at which point he moves to stand next to violet protectively.]

[nothingsodivine]

[des shakes himself out of his confusion and sizes up nadia.] So where were you when she was alive? The only thing the people you're with have done for her is hunt her down like a dog and take advantage of her. [he eyes blade. and then looks back at the girl.] So what gives you the right to be here now, standing beside this bottom-feeding piece of shit?

[coldheritage]

[ the girl's eyes widen for a moment at the blunt accusation, and skid uncertainty to keijen... and then across the crowd to Myri's for just an instant. She seems hesitant to speak at all and finally looks down at the casket and says quietly, her Romanian accent almost obscuring her words: ]

It was Jade who rejected her family - not the other way around.

[narcosynthesis]

What she means to say is that Jade thought she was too good for our dear Nadia. But she, gracious sister that she is, will not hold that against her in her death. [ he grants des a coldly mocking grin, as the priest looks between them all, obviously waiting for them to be done interrupting. ]

[bigbad]

[Is Spike the only one noticing DUMAGE IS BACK? Or... temporarily there. On the wrong side of the funeral standoff. He doesn't say hi or anything since he's pretty sure that's a faux pas in these situations. But he does flash her a smirk. Hopefully everyone's too busy to notice, but that's what Dumage gets for vanishing for a million years with no texts.

Then he turns to everyone who's arguing over Jade, still, when she really should be past all that.]

Work it out after we're done here. [And guys, it's really pathetic when Spike's the voice of reason.] Last thing we need's another corpse to keep her company.

[graveflowers]

[This is not how she envisioned this funeral going.]

He's right, enough. You. [She glares at Keijen, die in a fire, but it has absolutely no heat to it. (Intimidate 6) Just looking at him brings all the nightmare feelings of helplessness to the forefront.] Shut up and back off. She's a big girl, she can speak for herself. And you, Nadia. [She looks at the girl warily, but if anyone is going to accept weird occasionally divine familial relationships it's going to be Vi, however begrudgingly. And it's pretty damn begrudgingly.] You can stay, if you'd like.

Now can we please finish this and then ya'll can rumble in the parking lot like Jets and Sharks?

[narcosynthesis]

[ yeah her intimidation attempt not only falls entirely flat, but causes keijen to affix her with a disarmingly alluring smile. The only thing worse than feeling afraid of your enemies is feeling drawn to them... and though I don't have his sheet at work, I believe that works out to at least a 40 something charm check. (Unsure) ] I knew you would see reason. [ he holds vi's gaze as he says the words, and there's a very clear double meaning layered there for her. ] Please, carry on.

[ the priest still looks hesitant but says the final words of the rites, and then nods at his attendants to move to close the casket. Luthir squeezes violets other hand, looking down at the clasped fist where she holds the necklace. It's clear he wants to say something but can't because keijen is RIGHT THERE, so instead he gives her as encouraging of a look as he can. ]

[slay]

[ though she shoots narrow looks at keijen and his posse, she stays quiet, because she's on team let's everybody just shut the fuck and let them be here because it's a funeral, not a bar fight. if someone among them wants to mourn jade, it's not interrupting their ability to do the same. so, she just keeps an arm around dawn, and finally turns to look at her with a faint smile, sympathetic and reassuring all at once. ]

[notaroundme]

[You can add Elena to the list of people giving Keijen death glares, because his presence here is much more disliked than any of Burt's shenanigans. She remembers him all too well and a certain creepy encounter with Myri back at NOVA.

But she's not getting involved right now. Enough people have done it already, and its a funeral.]

[nothingsodivine]

[oh. no one wants to get the last word? no one? bueller? WELL THAT'S WHAT DES IS HERE FOR.]

Keep your eyes to yourself, slimeball. [he gives nadia a look that's not judging nor particularly pleasant, but she gets spared the death glare treatment. for now. that said, he turns back to the proceedings.]

[graveflowers]

[Well. That puts things in a different light. He is clearly not that bad, is he? Vi can't help the little smile that crosses her face, nor the blush that turns her cheeks pink at the attention. (Will save 9, girl has got a crush.) Her attention shifts to Luthir when he squeezes her hand and the smile fades slightly before she nods and lets go of his hand.] Right.

[She moves forward as the cover is being closed, but she has already said goodbye, she doesn't need to say it again. Fingers splay against the wood as she bends down near the head of it, letting the broken necklace tumble down into the grave next to it. She takes off the little corsage -- there was a reason for them, okay -- and places it on top of the casket, before patting it fondly and moving back to her place... blushing again as she passes Keijen and absently rubbing the mark Jade's necklace left imbedded into her palm from holding it so tightly.

Death bed promise fulfilled.]

[narcosynthesis]

[ ♬ Time is Running Out - Muse

A spot check of 15+ will notice the way Keijen eagle eyes onto that necklace, watching it fall into the casket with a strange unreadable gleam in his eyes, Violet long ignored now. A spot of 18+ will notice Nadia beside him, absently touch at a chain at her own neck... and a 22+ might notice the tiny hint of green where it's tucked into her neckline: exactly like the stone set in the necklace Vi just buried.

The lid is sealed, and Keijen continues to watch it with a strange half-smile on his face, although Nadia's expression is much gloomier. She doesn't look like she's going to cry - but she does look somewhat deeply unhappy, or unsettled, as the casket is lowered, and others move forward to drop their flowers atop it as well.

She's holding one single red rose, and she takes a few steps forward after Mark and Kat and Gar have deposited theirs, lofting it to her nose to inhale with closed eyes and a set frown, and then letting it fall, stepping back beside Dumage. ]

[nothingsodivine]

[Two out of three ain't bad, but to be fair, Des isn't looking at Nadia's breasts (spot 19). He's just looking at her like he doesn't know what to think of her and he's waiting for her to step out of line. But his attention always drifts back to Keijin, even as he's walking to drop his corsage into the grave, taking stock of every significant look to chew on later. Only once he's at the edge does he turn away, close his eyes tightly as if in some wordless prayer (though it's more of an apology), and drop the flower in.

He falls back into line and stares straight ahead, somber and quiet now, noticeably keeping his hands folded within easy each of the inside of his jacket. Three guesses why.]

[slay]

[ with a spot check of 25, buffy recognizes all of this. and her wis of 22 has her suspicious that there's going to be some grave robbery going on with keijen trying to get his hands on that, because if they need nadia and her necklace, they're probably going to want jade's and it's probably got something to do with this mission business. hell, she'd even wager trying to find out what had happened to that is what they were doing at this funeral in the first place.

her grip on dawn loosens, ready to act if this gets messy, but she's sincerely hoping to prevent a fight from breaking out at the funeral so she doesn't move herself. she does, however, lean in to ask des beside her in a quiet voice. ]

Do you see that?

[bigbad]

[Apparently Spike is looking at Nadia's breasts because his keen vampire eyeballs catch everything (spot 23) and he frowns, but he doesn't comment. At least, not until he's dropped his own corsage in the grave and hears Buffy's comment in passing (listen 22). He pauses by her for a moment, glancing back at Francesca, who he really will be rejoining in a moment. He's a little bit the worst date ever, though. Sorry about that....]

I did.

[nothingsodivine]

[Matching wis checks of 22. Awww. How adorable.

He whispers back, but his hands remain where they are.] This might get nasty. Fair warning.

[Because, you know, he and Italia are crazy and have temper problems...]

[slay]

Not now. [ she moves to drop her corsage in too, but stops to put a hand on des' to stay him as she does so, keeping her voice low. ] Until this is over, we need eyes on this spot at all times.

[nothingsodivine]

[pointed... look at spike.]

[socialgraces]

[ no worries, spike, because francesca is definitely not saying anything, and hasn't since keijen and his dates showed up. but she's watching all this s-so closely (spot 32) with an unreadable expression. if she did take a corsage, she's not holding one now, even though she's made no move toward the open grave. ]

[bigbad]

[Wow, Des. Wow. Spike rolls his eyes at him and continues back to Francesca, touching her arm lightly as he approaches.]

All right, love?

[socialgraces]

[ it's only at this close proximity that spike is able to tell just how tense francesca is, and her arm involuntarily twitches at his touch. but as she turns to answer the question, her face remains just as impassive. ] Any idea why they're really here?

[witchwoman]

[Myri's nat 20 spot makes sense because her eyes haven't left Nadia since the sister reveal. She picks up on a few of the whispers from her teammates (listen 17) but for the most part remains still until it's her turn to drop her corsage on the casket. Since Finnick's moved to play protector for Violet, she stands alone and holds her hands clasped in front of her as she steps back.

She can't explain it, but she found a reason to trust Nadia before, and she's not willing to let that go just yet. She shifts herself back a few steps until she can stand beside Kat and drop her voice lower.]

We have to help her.